1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card-type device connector to be used for mounting, on an assembled circuit board of any of a variety of apparatus, a card-type device such as a communication module, a memory module and a memory card. A typical example of the communication module includes a bluetooth transmission/reception module. Examples of the memory module include a SIMM (Single Inline Memory Module) and a DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module). Examples of the memory card include an SD card and a multimedia card.
2. Description of Related Art
The bluetooth is a short-distance communication technology for which standardization has been started in May 1998 by five companies, i.e., Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Nokia and Toshiba. This is used for communicating, in radio, audio data or a synchronous data in a short distance of about 10 m.
To achieve such a short-distance communication technology, it is required to mount a bluetooth communication module (transmission/reception module) on apparatus which participates in communication, such as a cellular phone, a notebook computer, a digital household electrical appliance and equipment, or the like.
A bluetooth communication module has, for example, a connector portion used for connection with an assembled circuit board of such apparatus. When this connector portion is connected to a connector portion disposed on the assembled circuit board of the apparatus, the apparatus is electrically connected to the bluetooth communication module.
The bluetooth communication module has a high frequency circuit which handles a signal of a radio frequency band. It is therefore required to take a measure to meet the problem of heat generated in the high frequency circuit portion.
In a memory module (SIMM, DIMM or the like) having a memory IC mounted on a circuit board, too, heat generated at the time of its use causes trouble. Accordingly, a forced cooling means such as a cooling fan or the like is disposed in the box body of a personal computer, thus preventing the memory module from being excessively heated.
However, such a cooling mechanism can never be used in a very limited space inside of portable-type information apparatus such as a cellular phone, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) or the like.
Further, an economical effective cooling structure has also been desired for a memory card such as a memory module, an SD card, a multimedia card, a smart media, a compact flash (CF) card, a memory stick or the like.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a card-type device connector in which heat radiation in a card-type device can be achieved by a simple arrangement.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a card-type device connector capable of achieving noise shielding in a card-type device.
The present invention relates to a connector (10) to be used for connecting a card-type device (100) to an assembled circuit board. This connector comprises: a connector body (1) having a (e.g., substantially rectangular) card mounting space formed therein; signal connection contact members (2) disposed on the connector body and having contacts (21) which are pressingly contacted with the signal connection portions of the card-type device, and connection portions (22) which are electrically connected to the assembled circuit board; a metallic cover member (5) rotatably attached to the connector body at one end thereof and arranged to regulate one end of the card-type device within the card mounting space when the cover member is in a closing state where the same closes at least a portion of the card mounting space; and a spring piece (58) disposed at the cover member and arranged to be pressingly contacted with the surface (particularly, in the vicinity of a memory IC or a high frequency circuit IC) of the card-type device. Numerals and alphabets in parentheses refer to corresponding component elements in the embodiments to be discussed later. However, it is a matter of course that the present invention should not be construed as limited to these embodiments. This is also applied to the following description.
According to the arrangement above-mentioned, when the card-type device is mounted on the card mounting space in the connector body and the cover member is rotated to close at least a portion of the card mounting space, the card-type device can electrically be connected to the assembled circuit board. When the cover member is closed, the spring piece (which is preferably integral with the cover member and made of metal) comes in contact with a surface of the card-type device to transmit heat generated in the card-type device to the cover member. Accordingly, heat is radiated from the surface of the metallic cover member to the surrounding space.
Thus, the connector is provided with a heat radiating function. Accordingly, a countermeasure for heat generated in the card-type device can be provided by a simple and economical arrangement. Further, since the connector for electrically connecting the card-type device to the assembled circuit board, is provided with a heat radiating function, a dedicated cooling means is not required to be disposed in the apparatus, thus preventing the apparatus from being increased in size.
To securely hold the card-type device in the card mounting space, a locking mechanism (locking pawl or the like) (54a, 56a) for keeping the closing state of the cover member (5), are preferably disposed at the cover member and/or the connector body.
A connector according to an embodiment of the present invention further comprises a heat transfer member (6) attached to the connector body, this heat transfer member being arranged to be pressingly contacted with the cover member and to be joined to the assembled circuit board to form a heat radiating passage thereto when the cover member is closed.
According to the arrangement above-mentioned, heat generated in the card-type device can be radiated from the cover member to the assembled circuit board through the heat transfer member, thus increasing the cooling efficiently. This effectively cools the card-type device.
Preferably, the connector of the present invention further comprises a noise-shielding connection member (6) disposed at the connector body and arranged to connect the cover member to a low-impedance portion of the assembled circuit board (the power supply portion or ground portion, for example) when the cover member is closed.
The cover member is made of metal. Accordingly, the cover member can be provided with not only a heat radiating function, but also a noise shielding function. Accordingly, to achieve an excellent noise shielding effect, the present invention is arranged such that the cover member is connected to a low-impedance portion of the assembled circuit board through the noise-shielding connection member. The noise-shielding connection member may also serve as the heat transfer member above-mentioned.
Preferably, an extension portion (54xcx9c57, 59, 60) is formed at the lateral side of the cover member for laterally covering portions of the card mounting space. This arrangement increases the noise shielding effect.
The card-type device may be a module having a circuit element mounted on a circuit board.
More specifically, the circuit element may form a high frequency circuit for communication, and the module may be a communication module. In such a case, the communication module may be a bluetooth transmission/reception module.
Further, the circuit element may comprise a memory IC and the module may be a memory module. In such a case, examples of the memory module include SIMM and DIMM.
Further, the card-type device may be a memory card having a memory chip hermetically sealed in a card-type shell. Examples of such a memory card include an SD card, a multimedia card, a smart media, a memory stick, a compact flash card, a PC card and the like.
These and other features, objects, advantages and effects of the present invention will be more fully apparent from the following detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.